Chapter 139

Chapter 139

"Have you seen the new play? Ugh, I was on edge the whole time. That guy actually dared to secretly drug Nina. If Nina hadn’t studied medicine and noticed it in time, she would’ve been a goner."

The young man sitting in the restaurant, chatting with his friend, got chills just thinking about the play he’d just watched.

The protagonist had the skills to detect the danger and save herself in time, but if it had been him in that situation, who knows how badly it would’ve ended.

His friend, who had clearly also seen the new play, clenched his jaw and nodded in agreement. "That place was full of dangers everywhere. At first, I thought the old couple warning Nina not to go there, saying the air was poisonous, was just nonsense. The city looked so lively, everyone seemed so happy—how could there be any problems? Who knew it was truly no place for decent people?"

"Exactly. One moment, people looked elegant and dignified, and the next, they were kneeling, begging, even licking shoes for that damned thing—debasing themselves completely, as if human dignity meant nothing. Just thinking about it makes my scalp crawl."

"Absolutely. And those who sold their children, their daughters, even themselves for that drug—they looked insane, no longer human, like their souls had been devoured by demons."

"Do you remember when Nina went to treat that noble lady, and there were all those portraits covered by thick curtains on the walls? The servant said they were what the lady looked like before she got sick."

"Yeah, what a shame about that noble lady. In the portraits, she was like a rose glistening with dew, radiantly beautiful. Just one look at that stunning beauty, and you could tell how many young men would’ve fallen for her—not like now, shriveled into a walking skeleton, terrifying to even glance at."

"I wonder if Nina can save her. I’m afraid she might not only fail but get dragged down herself. Think about it—why was the noble lady the only one in that mansion who got hooked on that stuff? When she was having episodes, the other servants acted like they didn’t even see it. There’s definitely something rotten going on."

"Definitely. I think the problem started at that banquet. Before, the noble lady would always leave with her brother before the banquet ended. But after her brother died in battle, she started coming back late, sometimes not until the next day. And her father didn’t seem to care at all about his daughter staying out overnight."

"Right. Around that time, the noble lord even got some lucrative appointment. I thought he was just too busy to notice the details, assuming his daughter was staying over with her friends. But now that you mention it, that banquet must’ve been shady. After the noble lady got sick and lost her looks, she never went back."

"And when the noble lord took out the invitation, the lady’s coughing got worse. Do you think she was trying to warn Nina that the banquet was dangerous?"

"Absolutely. Nina’s so beautiful—that creep would’ve zeroed in on her. Look, Nina already refused the invitation, saying the lady’s condition was too severe to leave her. But the noble lord insisted it’d just take a minute, as if the lady didn’t matter at all."

Thinking about how Nina still hadn’t reunited with her knights, the two started sweating bullets again, hoping the team would find her soon—but also fearing they might fall into the same trap. If any of them got even a little bit of that stuff in them, it’d be over.

"Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. Nina’s tougher than that—she’ll get out of this."

"Yeah, once she finishes that antidote, she won’t be controlled by that poison anymore. Honestly, that cursed stuff should all be destroyed. It’s like a hellspawn of a drug, turning people into monsters."

"Exactly. Thank goodness our king and His Holiness were wise enough to recognize its danger and control it. Just imagining that stuff spreading around us makes my blood run cold—terrifying."

"Mm. I heard this story’s based on real events. The land across the sea, Babylonia, really is that chaotic. And they wanted to turn our country into the same—pure evil."

Growing more fearful the more they talked, the two checked their wallets, wondering if there was a fund to support the war effort. They could donate two months’ wages to cheer on the soldiers fighting in that demonic land.

They admitted they weren’t brave enough to go there themselves, so this was their way of contributing.

They truly loved their lives now—food, drinks, plays to watch, walking down the street without fear of bumping into some noble and getting bullied for no reason.

They wouldn’t even want to return to their old lives, let alone live like the damned souls in Babylonia.

They weren’t the only ones who felt this way. Many others were praying for the soldiers across the sea, hoping they’d destroy that sinful land soon.

Among them, female viewers were especially furious. Since Kane took power, women’s status had risen. They could choose not to marry, study alongside boys, openly inherit family businesses, even take exams for official positions. After breathing free air, they refused to return to a life of control and oppression.

Now, someone wanted to destroy all that, to use that cursed drug to turn them back into puppets again. How could they not be enraged?

Over the years, women had secured their place in all fields, so they backed Kane’s reforms 100%. They even petitioned, pledging to donate money and supplies if needed, grateful for all he’d done to maintain social stability.

Kane naturally thanked the people for their enthusiasm, funneling their donations into the reward fund for whistleblowers.

With Ning Chan’s deep pockets filling the national treasury, the war chest was overflowing.

So, the people’s goodwill went into the reward system—above-board and open, and putting bounties on crime.

The more vigilant and clear-minded the public becomes, the fewer people dare to reach out with evil intent.

When Ning Chan heard about certain bold individuals risking their lives to investigate a certain young master's "unusual tastes," he wasn’t sure whether to praise their bravery or call it entrapment. The man, upon being rescued, even insisted he was doing it for justice—not the ten gold bars.

If he hadn’t added that last part, Ning Chan might have actually believed him.

Still, overall, the entire nation was moving in a positive direction. This brought Ning Chan both relief and contemplation—perhaps it was time to start planning his retirement?

Unexpectedly, before he could bring it up, Kane beat him to it: "I want to find a successor. What do you think I should do?"